Safety lock for furniture-stripping machine

ABSTRACT

A safety lock for stripping machines using chemicals having a flash point in the danger zone. This device consists of a balanced mechanism holding the door closed until the furniture to be stripped has had time to dry out, the device including a balancing weight upon the threaded rod supported within a balance bar pivotally carried by a casting secured to the machine, the other end of the balancing device having a sponge which when saturated during the spraying will allow the door to remain closed until the drying process is completed.

United States Patent Andrew E. Shutt 305 S. Oak St., Normal, 111. 61761 62,1 13

Aug. 7, 1970 Aug. 17, 197 1 Inventor App]. No. Filed Patented SAFETY LOCK FOR FURNlTURE-STRIPPING MACHINE 3 Claims, 2 Drawlng Figs.

US. Cl 292/131, 49/3 I 70/269, 118/12. 292/231 Int. Cl E05b 43/00, E05c 19/12 Field 01 Search 292/130,

References C Ited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1875 Moore Potter 70/267 Woolley 70/267 Hansen 70/266 Cernuda. 292/131 X Stukes 49/23 Primary Examiner Robert L. Wolfe ABSTRACT: A safety lock for stripping machines using chemicals having a flash point in the danger zone This device consists of a balanced mechanism holding the door closed until the furniture to be stripped has had time to dry out, the device including a balancing weight upon the threaded rod supported within a balance bar pivotally carried by a casting secured to the machine, the other end of the balancing device having a sponge which when saturated during the spraying will allow the door to remain closed until the drying process is completed.

PATENTEU AUGI 1 I971 INVliN'l ()R. ANDREW E. SHUT r SAFETY LOCK FOR FURNITURE-SHIPPING MACHINE This invention relates to safety locks, and more particularly to a lock for furniture-stripping machines.

It is therefore the primary purpose of this invention to provide a lock which will prevent the opening of the door of a furniture-stripping machine until drying has occurred in order to prevent injury to the operators and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a safety lock which will consist of a casting mounted to the machine having a bracket supporting a balancing device, the balancing device including a threaded rod having a L-shaped end for latching into a keeper on the door, the opposite end having a clamp with rod means for supporting a sponge, the sponge when dry will allow the door to be opened safely.

A further object of this invention is to provide adjustment screw means for the device and also an emergency screw means for unlocking the door of the machine if in the event the door fails to open.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a safety lock for furniture stripping machines which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. I is a side view shown in elevation and partly broken away; and

FIG. 2 is a view taken along the lines of 2-2 of FIG. 1.

According to this invention, a safety lock is shown to include a rectangular casting 11 having openings 12 and 13 for receiving suitable fasteners in order to secure it to the top of a stripping cabinet (not shown).

A U-shaped bracket 14 extending from casting 11 carries a balancing device 15 consisting of a bar 16 of square cross-sectional configuration pivotally carried by a transverse pin 17 An elongated and externally threaded rod 18 is carried within one end of bar 16 and is secured in place by means of a nut fastener l9, and rod 18 is provided with an L-shaped end 20 which serves to lock into a keeper on the track bar of the door (not shown) when the door is closed for a stripping operation.

Rod 18 also carries a threaded weight 21 that provides adjustment means for the drying time which may be from 10 to 30 minutes or more.

An adjusting screw 22 is carried by casting ll to balance bar 16 in place. An emergency door unlocking screw 23 is also carried by casting 11 and provides a means for the use of a screwdriver so it will rotate down and unlock the door of the stripping cabinet.

At the opposite end of balance bar 16 is a clamp 24 which holds a sponge 25 by means of rods 26. Clamp 24 is carried upon a bolt 27 which is screwed into balance bar 16 and a pair of nuts 28 and 29 provide locking means for clamp 24 to the balance device 15.

In use, sponge 25 within clamp 24 provides a means of picking up weight from the spraying during the start of the stripping operation. In approximately 1 minute after the spraying starts the sponge 25 becomes saturated with a volatile chemical and locks the machines door. The door will remain locked until the spraying or stripping operation is finished, which includes the drying time which is approximately 15 minutes.

The drying time may be controlled by rotating the threaded weight 21 on rod 18 in order to have the drying time to extend from 5 minutes to a half hour or more.

The drying is accomplished by pulling air from the floor of the stripping room, and through the load of furniture whereupon it is carried out through the drying cabinet to the vent to the outside of the cabinet.

What I claim is:

1. A safety lock for fumiture-stripping machines, comprisin a housing and a door, wherein furniture is sprayed with v0 atile chemicals, said lock locking said door until said fumiture is dryed, said lock comprising a casting for mounting inside the top of the machine, U-shaped bracket means carried by said casting providing for the pivotable mounting of a balancing device, an elongated bar carried by said balancing device of said lock having threaded rod means for engaging a keeper on the door of the machine, an adjustable weight carried by said balancing device for adjusting the timing of the drying, sponge and clamp means carried by said balancing device of said lock providing a means of opening the door after the drying period and keeping the door closed during the stripping operation.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said balancing device includes said balancing bar, said balancing bar having transverse pin means pivoting it within said bracket of said casting mounted to said machine and said threaded rod is secured within one end of said balance bar and is locked into place by means of a nut fastener, one end of said threaded rod having an L-shaped portion for engaging the keeper of the door of said machine and said threaded rod also carrying said adjustable weight, said adjustable weight being rotatable upon said rod to allow for adjusting the drying time and said bracket extends outward from said casting secured to said machine and said casting includes an adjustment screw for said balancing device, said casting also carrying an emergency screw allowing for the opening of said door of said machine in the event said device becomes inoperative.

3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein the opposite end of said elongated balance bar of said balancing device of said lock includes a bolt, said bolt extending from said clamp, said bolt being threaded into said balance bar and locked into place by suitable nut fasteners and said clamp includes wire rods which serve as prong means for entering said sponge thereupon, said sponge being saturated during the spraying of said volatile chemicals, the weight being such in order to render said door in a locked situation, the drying of said sponge causing said balancing device to unlock said door when it is safe for unloading said furniture from said machine. 

1. A safety lock for furniture-stripping machines, comprising a housing and a door, wherein furniture is sprayed with volatile chemicals, said lock locking said door until said furniture is dryed, said lock comprising a casting for mounting inside the top of the machine, U-shaped bracket means carried by said casting providing for the pivotable mounting of a balancing device, an elongated bar carried by said balancing device of said lock having threaded rod means for engaging a keeper on the door of the machine, an adjustable weight carried by said balancing device for adjusting the timing of the drying, sponge and clamp means carried by said balancing device of said lock providing a means of opening the door after the drying period and keeping the door closed during the stripping operation.
 2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said balancing device includes said balancing bar, said balancing bar having transverse pin means pivoting it within said bracket of said casting mounted to said machine and said threaded rod is secured within one end of said balance bar and is locked into place by means of a nut fastener, one end of said threaded rod having an L-shaped portion for engaging the keeper of the door of said machine and said threaded rod also carrying said adjustable weight, said adjustable weight being rotatable upon said rod to allow for adjusting the drying time and said bracket extends outward from said casting secured to said machine and said casting includes an adjustment screw for said balancing device, said casting also carrying an emergency screw allowing for the opening of said door of said machine in the event said device becomes inoperative.
 3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein the opposite end of said elongated balance bar of said balancing device of said lock includes a bolt, said bolt extending from said clamp, said bolt being threaded into said balance bar and locked into place by suitable nut fasteners and said clamp includes wire rods which serve as prong means for entering said sponge thereupon, said sponge being saturated during the spraying of said volatile chemicals, the weight being such in order to render said door in a locked situation, the drying of said sponge causing said balancing device to unlock said door when it is safe for unloading said furniture from said machine. 